Adopted Jane
by JayPun
Summary: Austin couldn't believe what was happening to him. It felt like everything he knew was a lie. His parents weren't his true parents. So he decided to set out on a quest to find his birth parents. But, he wasn't expecting the truth to be so tragic, dark, and messed up. An Austin & Ally/ The Mentalist crossover.
1. Prologue

Adopted Jane

Austin's head was clogged with confusion. His mind swirled in such a haze that it made him nauseous. He didn't understand what was happening. He heard the words that were being said, but he just wasn't processing them. No; he didn't want to believe them. He wasn't even supposed to be hearing them. Various strong emotions swarmed within his very being. How could his own parents keep this from him? Austin couldn't stop the scoff that passed his lips as the thought crossed his mind. His parents were in the kitchen, talking about him, thinking he was over at Dez's house for the night, completely unaware that Austin's plans had been canceled at the last minute. Unaware that their so-called son was listening to their conversation.

"Mike, we need to tell him eventually" Mimi, his mom, said. Mike, Austin's father let out a tired sigh.

"I don't know if we should. He's gone this long without knowing. Knowing now will only mess him up" Mike shot back at his wife.

"He has a right to know" Mimi said in a small whisper. "Austin should know he's adopted"

Tears poured down Austin's face. They lied to him. They were still his parents in his mind, but knowing that his DNA wasn't made up from theirs made sense of loss of identity wash over him. He didn't even know his actual last birth name. Was his name even originally Austin? Where did he come from? If they weren't his parents, than who were?


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally or The Mentalist.

This takes place before the death of Red John. Patrick is a consultant for the CBI.

* * *

Adopted Jane

Chapter 1

Austin sat nervously on his living room couch as he waited for his parents to come home from work. His left knee bounced in anticipation. His eyes repeatedly shifted from the coffee table to the front door. Three weeks ago, he had heard his parents say he was adopted and had since been trying to forget ever hearing it. But he couldn't take it anymore. The three weeks had been stressful with that knowledge constantly dancing around in his brain. He had been acting strange ever since, and his friends had noticed. Every time they asked what was wrong, he would shrug off their questions and give them a hardly believable excuse. He wasn't as happy as he was and always felt on edge and angry. Worst of all, he always had the feeling of betrayal itching at the back of his very being.

Yesterday morning, he was at the mall with Ally, helping her run the store. Everything was normal enough. He was even acting somewhat like his normal self. Until that girl walked in. She was a teenager, no older than fifteen. She had come in with an older couple, about the same age as his own parents. The girl looked nothing like the couple, but called them mom and dad and they answered her. As she checked out, buying what she wanted, Ally had nonchalantly asked where she got her looks from, seeing as she looked nothing like her parents. The girl had laughed and calmly answered that she was adopted. She acted as if it were nothing and it probably wasn't for her. She knew the truth and had obviously known for, probably, her whole life. She even mentioned that she had met her real birth parents and that she looked just like her mother. Austin didn't really know why, but that had hit him hard. He didn't know like she did. He was stuck in a haze of questions and confusion while the girl knew everything, knew it her whole life and that bothered him.

He couldn't do it anymore. He wanted answers. He had a right to know. So he sat, alone, on the living room couch, waiting for his parents to come home so he could finally get the answers he deserved. Why had his real parents abandoned him? Were they dead? Why hadn't he ever been told he was adopted? What were his real parent's names? Why did his parents adopt him?

The front door suddenly opened. Austin was on his feet and at the door before his parents had even gotten in the house. He said nothing to them. He just watched as they shuffled in the house and closed the door. He stared at them with eyes filled with fear and nervousness. Mike and Mimi Moon noticed their son's stress and finally stopped what they were doing to ask him why.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Concern filled Mimi's voice. Austin swallowed the lump in his throat and willed his vocal cords to work.

"Can-can we talk?" Austin tried to ignore the way he stuttered or how his voice had cracked when he spoke. Mike eyed him with concern.

"Is something wrong, son?" Mike asked. Austin's gaze gravitated toward the couch for a moment before coming back to his parents.

"Can we please talk?" He pleaded. His parents quickly caught onto his severe distress and nodded in response.

"Of course, sweety" Mimi said as she and her husband sat down on the couch. Austin sat down on the chair across from them. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Austin shut down her question with a quick hake of his head. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to find the right way to ask. The whole time, his parents watched silently as they waited for him to say something. Finding his mental dictionary come short, he finally settled on just blurting it out.

"Um, am-am I adopted?" Austin couldn't stop the tremble in his voice escape his lips. Fear of the answer made his palms sweat. His stomach dropped as he saw his parents' reactions. Shock and horror flashed through their eyes. The itching hope that maybe he just heard wrong and that he wasn't actually adopted died immediately. They were quiet for what felt like and eternity to him. They exchanged looks at each other, as if they were silently asking one another how to respond. Finally, his mother looked at him, her eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't quite place.

"Austin, what made you think that?" She asked cautiously.

"I heard you and dad talk about it a few weeks ago. Is it true, am I adopted?" Austin didn't bother trying to keep the tears from falling. He just let them fall. A look of guilt melded with his parent's faces. The both stared down at the floor.

"Yes" Mike said, finally. Austin's heart trembled.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He all but begged. His parents still wouldn't look at him.

"We felt it best that you didn't know" Mimi said. Austin stared at them in confusion.

"How is that best for me?" He asked, trying to hide his feelings of anger and betrayal.

"We didn't want you to grow up knowing that someone hadn't wanted you. We didn't want you to have to go through knowing that you don't know your real parents." Mimi answered. Austin raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Are they dead?" He asked. Mike shook his head.

"When we went to adopt you, we were informed that your mother had taken you to an orphanage and left you there. The caretaker only saw her once. She insisted that she didn't want you and couldn't take care of you and begged the caretaker that you were placed in a good home" Mike explained.

"Why didn't she want me?" Austin asked. Mimi grabbed a tissue and dabbed her wet eyes as she answered.

"She never really said but the caretaker of the orphanage said that she looked pretty young, maybe sixteen, seventeen. We know her name was Monica, but that's all. We don't really know what she looked like. It was in the middle of the night when she brought you to the orphanage, the caretaker didn't get a good look at her" Mimi said. Austin stared at his hands in his lap as he let the new information process.

"Wait" Austin looked back up at parents "My mom's name was Monica? Is that why that's my middle name?" He asked. Both his parents' faces darkened as they nodded.

"Yes" His mother said.

"You named me after my mom?" Austin's voice rose a little.

"Yes" His mother repeated.

"You named me after the person who abandoned me but you didn't find it important to me about her?" He didn't try to contain the anger and betrayal that forced his voice to rise. He let it overwhelm him and push it out onto his parents. Tears came out like waterfalls now. His parents looked down at the floor again, their faces filled with guilt.

"Your middle name was really for us" Mimi whispered, her eyes filled with tears " We had a daughter at one point, before we adopted you. It was a miracle, really. The doctors had told us that I wasn't able to have kids, but I had her" Mimi's face darkened, her eyes wet with tears "Turns out, it wasn't as great as a miracle as we thought. She wasn't even three weeks old" Mimi stopped for a moment, trying to get her emotions under control. "She got sick, real sick. So we took her to the doctor. Turns out she was born with a serious heart defect. We were told that there was a strong chance she would die if she didn't receive the special treatment she needed. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford it. It was so expensive and we were still so young. We were barley able to support ourselves then" Mimi let out a sob but kept going "She passed away shortly after that doctor's visit. Her name was Monica" Austin stared at his parents in horror. He had a late sister he didn't even know about. To his surprise, his father continued.

"We were both devastated by Monica's death. We really wanted children and, at that point, we were scared to try and have any of our own. We didn't want to go through losing a child like we did with Monica, again. So, about a year after Monica had passed and we had recovered both emotionally and financially" Mike stopped for a moment" More so financially, we decided to adopted. We started looking at orphanages, seeing how many had infants and came across Sunrise Childrens Orphanage. It was bit run down but it was still in good shape. The orphanage had a couple infants up for adoption. So we went and checked it out. We weren't sure which child to take home, so we talked to the caretaker and she told us about all the kids." Mike looked up at Austin as continued "She told us about you and how your mother had left you there and when she told us your mother's name, it was like we had been given a gift. Both our late daughter and this woman's name was Monica. It was like we were meant to take you with us. You didn't have a name yet. We decided to name you Austin and after some discussion, we decided to name you both after your mother and our daughter. That's why your middle name is Monica" Austin gaped at his parents in awe, shocked beyond belief. Tried tear streaks covered his cheeks, while his parents' were still wet. It had obviously hurt them to talk about the child they lost and Austin had an itching feeling that their grief had played a large factor into why his parents had never told him about his true origins. They couldn't bring up his adoption without bringing up their daughter...his sister. He let out a quiet sigh through his nostrils.

"What happened to my mother after she left me?" Austin asked sullenly, feeling as if he already knew the answer.

"We don't know" Mimi whispered

"What's my real last name?"

"We don't know"

"What about my father?"

"We don't know"

"Nothing?"

"No"

"Do you even know where I was born?" He asked, a bit desperate, hoping his parents knew more.

"California, we think." Mike answered.

"What made you think that?"

"The caretaker had tried to reason with your mother as she ran out the door. She had gotten into her car and driven off. her car had a California license plate on it" Mimi said.

"The caretaker saw my mom's license plate but not her face?" Austin questioned skeptically.

"She was wearing a hood and it was dark, as we said earlier. The caretaker had mentioned that she was being very uncooperative kept trying to hide her face, like she was ashamed she was there" _She probably was, _Austin thought "Her car had built in lights around her license plate, you know how some cars have that? But that's what us think you were born in California, where your mother was from"

"But she was in Florida, how do you-" Mike cut him off.

"You were about a month old then and her car was full of lots bags as if she were on the road" Mike said "We don't know for sure, but it's our best bet"

"What about my birth certificate?"

"Your mother never made one, which leads us to believe that you weren't born in a hospital. We had to register you properly when we adopted you" Austin was quiet for a moment.

"So you don't know whether or not my mother is alive?" Both his parents shook their heads.

"And you know nothing about my dad?" They shook their heads again.

"No" Mike said "I'm sorry" Austin hunched his head in defeat, his heart heavy. He was still very much in the dark about his parents.

* * *

There you go, the first chapter. Tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally or The Mentalist. Simply this fanfiction.

* * *

Adopted Jane

Chapter 2

Austin couldn't concentrate in the slightest during school. His mind was still boggled with the information that his parents had told him the night before. So many questions racked his skull. Why had his birth mother so hurriedly abandoned him? Was she running from something? Someone? Who was his real father? What did he look like? What did his mom look like? So many questions. Tons more plagued him. But he no one to answer them. He was left to suffer not knowing the full truth. He wandered if his birth father even knew he existed. He felt so lost. He just wanted to crawl into a corner and let it all out. Everything felt wrong now, like his life wouldn't be complete until he knew who his real parents were. Worst of all; he was angry at his parents. His adoptive parents. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, thinking of them as his adoptive parents and not his real ones. They kept a huge secret from him, one they didn't have a right keeping from him. It angered and sickened him. It broke him. He was supposed to love them; they raised him. He couldn't help it, though. Thanks to them, he was left with an empty hole in his very being. Austin didn't know who he truly was anymore, and that's what got to him the most.

~0~

Ally watched her friend warily as he stalked around the music store like he was dead. He looked tired and devastated. For three weeks, she, Trish and Dez watched Austin act like this. He was short, angrier, depressed, lost even. Every time they tried to confront him about it, he would shut them out, shake them off with a poor excuse. Now it was even worse. Something must of happened. Ally could still remember earlier today at school. Austin never looked up from his desk. He seemed so lost in thought, that nothing else in the world mattered.

She caught Dez gazing at him, his eyes full of worry for his best friend. Austin had especially short with Dez and his antics. Something Austin never snapped at. Trish, at first, wasn't worried. She had insisted that he probably got turned down by some hot chick and was in a slump. His little phase would pass eventually. It hadn't. Not by a long shot. Dez walked over to her.

"I'm really worried about him, Ally. I've never seen him act like this" Dez said, his gaze never leaving Austin.

"I know, I am too. We need to get him to talk about it" Ally said.

"But that hasn't worked, Ally. He keeps shutting him out" Ally let out a frustrated sigh.

"I don't know what else to do, Dez. He's only getting worse. We need to try. Go get Austin and bring him to the practice room. I'll get Trish. We're going to sit him down and just ask him straight forward what's wrong with him" Dez nodded.

"You think that'll work?" He asked as he started to walk away from the counter and to his practically comatose friend.

"I sure hope so" Ally said as she went to find Trish. Within only a few minutes, all four were upstairs. They sat Austin in a chair and sat around him. Austin didn't really seem to be with it enough to comprehend what was going on. The three kept exchanging worried glances as Austin just mindlessly stared off into space.

"Um, Austin?" Ally started. Austin's eyes flickered to her. " Austin, what the heck has gotten into you?" She asked. He shook his head at her question.

"I'm fine" His voice was empty and despair seemed to drip in his words.

"All of us knows that's a big fat lie, Austin. What the hell is wrong with you?" Trish asked, taking the initiative to be authoritative. Austin looked up at her with slight shock. He tore his gaze from her and looked at the floor.

"I don't want to talk about it right now" He said, hoping to drop the subject. Ally scooted closer to him.

"Austin, come on. taking about it may make you feel better. We can try and help" Austin scoffed at her comment with a pained smile.

"No, you can't." He was desperately trying to hold himself together, now.

"Austin, please" Dez pleaded "We're trying to help. Please tell us." Austin hurriedly shook his head.

"No" he croaked "I can't. I just can't. Not yet." It took nearly all his will power to force himself not to let the water in his eyes fall. They could tell he was fixing to lose it, but they had to know. Crying might even be just the thing he needed right now.

"Austin, please!" Trish said. Austin flew out of his sit.

"No!" He snapped "Just drop it, already!" The tears had let loose. They stared at him, shocked. They knew he was close to a breaking point, but they didn't realize just how close. So close that a little pushing would put him over the edge. Ally stood up from her seat Trish and Dez followed suit.

"Austin, just tell us. It's unhealthy for you just to keep it all bottled up like this." She urged him. Austin shook his head at her.

"You don't get it!" He said "Whether I keep it bottled up or not, it won't make a difference. Nothing's going to change." He said in a defeated tone.

"If it isn't going to make a difference of whether or not you tell us, than why don't you just tell us? So we can at least _try _to help you." Dez said. Austin looked down at the floor, tears still falling.

"It's all still too fresh. I'm honestly just not ready to admit it. It's like, if I tell someone, then just makes it all that more real. I can't pretend it just didn't happen." Austin voice was just barely above a whisper. His eyes never left the ground. He seemed to be talking more to himself than to them.

"Admit what? Austin, what happened?" Ally asked, confused. Austin didn't answer her. He just kept his gaze glued to the floor. He actually did want to tell them, but he didn't know if he could handle telling them right now. Ally waited for the blonde to answer, but he just stood there ignoring them. She let out a huff, frustrated that she wasn't getting anywhere.

"Austin, come on, would you please just-"

"I'm adopted." Everything froze for a moment. They stared at him in shock, all wondering if they heard him right.

"You're- you're what?" Dez stuttered, dumbfounded. Austin looked up at him with a pained expression.

"Please don't make me say it again?" He said, his tone desperate. He was shocked a bit as well. The words had left his mouth before he could stop himself. He hadn't planned on telling them right now. But it was too late. The truth was out, so he might as well just let it all out.

"You're adopted?" Ally asked in astonishment. Austin nodded as he shifted his gaze back to the floor.

"What? No way! You look just like your parents" Trish said. Austin shrugged.

"They're not my real parents." He said in a hushed tone. As if that was the only thing he needed to say to get her to understand.

"When'd you find out?" Ally asked. Austin bit his lower lip.

"I over heard them talk about it about three weeks ago. That's why I've been acting so weird. I finally confronted them about it last night." Austin said.

"So, who are your real parents?" Trish asked. His face darkened, his eyes filled with even more tears.

" I don't know. I only know my real mom's name and an idea of where she might be from. I don't have a clue on my real dad." Austin said in despair, hating that he didn't know.

"What's her name?" Dez asked. They gave him a confused look when his body suddenly convulsed with slight laughter. He looked at them with a pained smile, tears drenching his cheeks.

"Monica" He said. The realization washed over them as they made the connection.

"So, that's why your parents made your middle name Monica" Dez said. Austin sighed.

"Well, it's part of the reason." He said with a shrug. He ignored their confused looks and continued. "Apparently, my parents had adopted me because they had lost a child of their own due to an illness and wasn't capable of having any more children. They lost two week-old daughter named Monica"

"So," Trish started "You're named after your mom and a sister you never knew you had?" She asked. Austin gave her an unsure nod.

"Yeah, I guess" Austin whispered.

"Austin," Ally started "you know being adopted is nothing to be ashamed of. People get adopted all the time" Ally said reassuringly.

"That's not why I'm upset!" Austin snapped. " I'm mad because they lied to me! They kept this huge secret from me and gave no thought on how it would effect me. They were being selfish and it's unfair!" Austin screamed at her. His chest heaved for air as hot tears stung his eyes. They stared at him, shocked by his out burst. He calmed himself a little bit. "I know absolutely nothing about where I actually came from. I know practically nothing about my real parents. I grew up thinking that mom and dad were my real parents. They never bothered to tell me the truth. For all I know, my real dad my not even know I exist." Austin said, broken. He shifted his weight on either foot. "I'm going home." He said.

"What? Austin, wait! Hold on!" Ally called after him. But it was too late. Austin had bolted out the door, down the stairs, and out of Sonic Boom, leaving the three shocked and confused about what just happened.

~0~

Austin slammed the front door shut and locked it, hot tears continued to sting his dark, hazel eyes. He hadn't wanted to to tell his friends the truth, at least not yet. Not until he had known more or had come to accept it, if that ever happened. Unfortunately, the truth had passed his lips before he could stop it. He had unintentional began to spill to his friends and once the words had started, he couldn't stop. But it didn't help. A part of him had thought that maybe if he talked about, then he would feel better. To his disappointment, he got the opposite effect. It just hurt even more. They had asked questions that he just couldn't fully answer. Because he didn't know. He knew so little about his birth parents and it hurt to admit that to his friends.

But no more. He needed to know. His eyes filled with determination as a new resolve set in. Austin walked into the living and slumped into the couch, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he did so. He set it on the coffee table. He grabbed the long forgotten phone book hidden under the side table, next to the couch. He opened the thick book and flipped through the pages with a purpose. His eyes scanned the words until he finally found what he was looking for.

There it was in black lettering, inked into the yellow page. Sunrise Children's orphanage, the very place where Austin's parents had adopted him, where his birth mother had abandoned him. Austin almost laughed at the fact he had found it. He had actually expected the orphanage to no longer be in operation. He reveled in his luck. He grabbed his phone off the coffee table and began to dial the orphanage's phone number.

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Okay, the chapters have yet to get long but they eventually will. The next chapter is going to have a lot going on in it, so it'll be way longer. I don't even know where this idea came from; an Austin and Ally/ The Mentalist crossover. So please tell what you think.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally or The Mentalist

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Adopted Jane

Chapter 3

His hands gripped the steering wheel to the point that his knuckles were white. He let his head rest on the wheel as much as he possibly could without running the risk of honking the horn. His breathe was ragged and his heart pounded so hard in his chest that is was almost painful. His body was covered in a nervous sweat as his eyes stared at the large sign through his car windshield.

It was a faded sunflower yellow and the black lettering had long since lost its boldness. It was a bit hard to read but Austin still knew exactly what it said. Sunrise Children's Orphanage. His father had described it as being a bit run down but still in good shape yet that was years ago. About seventeen to be exact. Austin had supposedly been just over a month old when his parents took him in and he had just turned seventeen about three months ago. He wondered if his birthday was actually his birthday. His adopted parents had no true way of knowing. Now the building was incredibly run down. Windows were broken and the red brick was covered in graffiti

They didn't even know he was here. Austin had contacted the orphanage by himself and had asked he could come talk to the caretaker of the place. In all honestly, it was a long shot. He didn't even know if the caretaker that took him in still worked here or if she even remembered him. The orphanage was in Okeechobee, a city with a population of just over 5,000. It was a rather small town, especially when he compared it to Miami. He drove 2 hours out of his way to get to the small town. He didn't care if his parents yelled at him for it. He needed to know.

He opened his car door and stepped out. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he stared up at the old three story building. He was in a bit of a run down area of the city. It was a bit on the edge of it. Many buildings were abandoned and left to fall apart.

A bell rang as he opened the door, but no one came to greet him. The floors were faded hard wood and the walls were covered in an ugly green wallpaper that was peeling off in strips. Did he really come from this place? He looked around and quickly found the reception office. There obviously had been a name plastered on the door, but it had long since worn off and was now impossible to make out.

Austin nervously knocked on the door.

There was the sound of a chair grinding against the wooden floor coming from the room. He heard footsteps and then the door suddenly swung open. It was a woman, maybe mid- 60's, that answered the door. She looked to a bit of a run down woman. Her frayed, orange hair was pulled into a tight bun and her dress hung on her. Her cardigan engulfed her tiny shoulders.

The woman looked him over. "Yes?" Her voice wasn't harsh but held a slight suspicion in it.

Austin tried to get his nervousness under control. "Um, are you the caretaker of this place?" He asked as nicely as could.

The woman nodded. "I am, what can I do for you young man? You're obviously too young to come and adopt." Her face held a humble smile, showing no malice towards him.

He scratched the back of neck. "No, I'm not here to adopt. I was actually here to ask you a few questions. I'm the person who called here yesterday."

Realization filled her eyes. "Oh, that was you?"

Austin nodded at the woman.

She opened her door to him, gesturing that he come in. "Come in, let's talk then. Though you never really said exactly what you wanted to talk about. You were so secretive about it, going on all about you needed to come speak with me about something important. Very well, let's get on with it then!" She rambled on like she hadn't a care in the world.

Austin smiled as he walked in the office, already he was starting to like the woman. She gave off the aura of a sweet grandmother. He sat an old chair, the woman took the chair right across from him, a hand-made quilt hung over the back of it. Austin wondered for a moment if she was the one who had made it.

The woman got comfortable and stared up at him "Alright sunny boy, what is it that you wanted from me?"

Austin held back the smile that was threatening to pull at his lips. "Well first," He started. "I need to know how long you've worked here?" He asked cautiously.

She raised an eyebrow at him but answered anyway. "Thirty years, I've watched over the children who've live in this building. Why do you need to know such a thing?" She asked in curiosity.

"Um, well I-" He swallowed for a moment. "I'm trying to find out who my birth parents are and apparently my mother had abandoned me here when I was a baby. I was hoping that maybe-"

"That maybe I knew something." She cut him off. She gave him a sweet, understanding smile.

Austin returned the smile and nodded. "Ye-yeah."

"Well," The woman started. "A lot of babies have been left at my doorstep, young man. You'll have to give me a little more than that to remember. Besides, I'm old. My memory isn't what it used to be."

"My parents told me I was a month old when my birth mother left me here and that she kinda just threw me in your arms and took off in the middle of the night. Apparently she wasn't being very cooperative. Her name was Monica." Austin said.

The woman, who had been nodding as he spoke, let out a hum of understanding. "Yes, I remember her."

Austin's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "You do?" He asked in excitement.

She nodded. "Oh yes. She was incredibly jumpy, like she was scared that she would get caught or something. I never really got a good look at her face. Every time I would try to look at her face, she'd turn away from me. She was by far the most uncooperative mother I had ever dealt with. That's why I remember her so well. She was so young too, maybe your age. Yet, she could have just left you on my doorstep like so many have but she didn't. She personally handed you to me, begging that you be put in a good home. Though she was giving you up, she still seemed to deeply care about you." The woman rambled.

"Is that all you remember about her? My parents told her name and that she may have been from California, but do remember anything else?" Austin asked. The old lady had only retold her version of the story his parents had already told to him.

She rubbed her hands in deep thought. "Well, I've always had the suspicion that the girl was a traveling circus carny. The circus _had_ been in town when she left you. Actually, it was just leaving. Perhaps that's why she was in such a rush." The woman said it more to herself than to Austin.

"What? Really?" Austin asked in eagerness, happy that he was learning more.

"I don't know if I'm right, but it makes sense to me."

"Do you remember anything else?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Not anything that you already know." The lady's eyes suddenly widened. She snapped her fingers and said, "Oh wait a minute! That's right! The girl's mother called nearly a week after your parents adopted you."

Austin's eyes widened. "She did?"

"Oh yes. She called, asking about you. She was calling to make sure you were being taken care of. She sounded so relieved when she found out you had already been adopted. That reminds me, your parents. They're the Moons aren't they?"

"Yeah, Mike and Mimi. But what about My mom's mom. My grandmother? What about her?" Austin asked desperately, not caring to speak about his adoptive parents.

"She only called that one time. She gave me her phone number and address-just in case something happened with your adoptive parents- and told me to give a call if something happened."

Austin shot out of his chair. "Can I please have her number and address?" He begged the woman.

"Of course!"

~0~

After the caretaker, Elizabeth, gave Austin his grandmother's street address and phone number, he hugged and thanked her and left the old orphanage. He drove all the way home with a smile on his face, delighted to have learned more about his blooded birth family. Though he felt slightly guilty for not telling anyone that he was there. Not only had he not mentioned to his parents, but he hadn't mentioned it to his friends either. No one knew where he was so he should have expected the repercussions that would come when he got home.

"Where the hell were you?" His father shouted when he walked in the door. His parents hauled over to him from their spots in the living room

"You had us worried sick." Mimi said.

"I'm sorry." Austin apologized.

"Where were you?" Mike repeated.

Austin swallowed a lump in his throat and look down at the floor in guilt. He had quickly discovered that his parents didn't like that he was so keen on finding his birth parents. He figured the reason was because it brought up their raw memories of the child they lost. So he knew that their reactions would be negative to what he was about to say. "Okeechobee." He mumbled.

Their eyes widened as the realization hit them. "You didn't." His mother gaped in horror.

"I had to." Austin said.

"Austin! How could you? How could you go behind our backs like that?" Mimi shouted.

"You wouldn't let me go if I told you!" Austin shouted back.

"Why do you want to know about your birth parents so bad, Austin? Have we not been good enough for you?" Mike questioned, despair lining his tone.

"What? NO! You've been more than great to me. I just-"

Mimi cut him off. "Then why do you insist on finding them? Honey, you may not like what you find out. I don't see how any good can come out of this." She said.

"I HAVE TO KNOW!" Austin screamed.

His parents stopped dead in their tracks, stunned by his outcry. Tears poured out of their son's eyes as he stared at them

"Not knowing is driving me crazy. It's like there's a hole in my chest. I don't even know who I am anymore. Please, I need to know. Don't make me stop." Austin begged his parents. "I need to know who my parents are."

Mimi shook her head. "No."

Austin's brows furrowed in shock and confusion. "What?"

"No." Mimi repeated.

"Why?"

"NO! YOU'RE _OUR_ SON! WE'RE YOUR PARENTS! YOUR MOTHER LEFT YOU! SHE HAS NO RIGHT TO SEE YOU. YOU'RE OURS!" She screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks like a water fall, her voice filled with desperation.

Austin stared at her, shocked. He couldn't believe this. He shook his head at her. "You can't do that."

"Austin Monica Moon, You will stop this pointless search at once." Mike ordered.

Anger clouded Austin's vision. "NO!" He wailed. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT! Don't you dare use that name on me you _hypocrites_! How could you call me that my whole life and not tell me the truth?" He snapped at them. He had never truly fought with his parents in his entire life but now he found himself screaming and yelling at them in pure hatred, angry that they had hidden so much from him.

"Austin!" His mother snapped at him "Don't you dare speak to your parents like that."

"YOU'RE NOT MY PARENTS!"

His mother gasped in horror. Both of them stared at him, shocked. They looked like they were in agony from what he said. Austin couldn't bring himself to care. He was so confused and angry and it was their fault. He held no sympathy for them, not at that moment.

"I'm not Monica," He hissed "and I am not going to stop looking for my birth parents. So don't bother trying to stop me." He refused to be his late sister's replacement, which was what he felt like every time the name Monica was brought up now. He ignored their stares of shock as he walked up the stairs. He slammed his bedroom door shut and crawled into bed.

* * *

Next chapter: Austin meets his grandmother.

I hope you all have enjoyed the chapter. Tell me what you think.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally or the Mentalist.

* * *

Adopted Jane

Chapter 4

"So are you going to go go see her?" Ally asked. The day after Austin met the orphanage's caretaker and had gotten into a fight with his parents, he went to Sonic Boom and told his friends the news. They seemed to be very happy for his discovery.

"I will, but I don't know what to expect. I mean, what if she wants nothing to do with me or what if she's moved since then?" Austin said skeptically.

"You'll never know unless you try." Dez said.

"You want us to come with you?" Ally suggested.

Austin shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but no. This is something I want to do by myself." His friends nodded in understanding.

"So where she live, anyway?" Trish asked.

"About half an hour south from the orphanage. I just hope she hasn't moved or gotten Alzheimer's or something." Austin said.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Ally said. "You're worrying about nothing."

"You're probably right, but it's just...My parents haven't been taking all of this very well." Austin said.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Trish asked.

" I don't know, I think they're flipping out about it because they think I'm trying to replace them or something. That and I'm opening old wounds of theirs."

"Monica?" Dez asked.

Austin nodded. "I'm not trying to hurt them or anything, I just need to know."

"Well, call us first thing after you meet your grandmother. We want to know all about it." Ally said.

Austin smiled at her, thankful for her support. "I will."

~0~

He left a note on the kitchen table for his parents and took the long drive to his grandmother's by himself, scared out of what he might discover when he got there. Her house was in a small town not far from the one where the orphanage was. It was a quiet, peaceful town and Austin immediately took a liking to the place. Her home was small and withered but still held a warm, welcoming aura to it.

Austin stood in front of the door, scared to knock. His fist hovered of the door for what felt like an eternity. He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to ignore the cold sweat that beginning to wet his skin. "Come on, just knock already." He whispered to himself. Finally, he let his fist wrap on the door.

"Coming!" A voice yelled from inside the house. The door swung open just a moment after, revealing a tall, old woman with graying bleach blonde hair. Her hazel eyes stared at him, wide eyed like she was awe struck by him.

Austin stared back at her, stunned by her reaction and by the fact that someone answered. He blinked and shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. "Um, are you Adeline Harding?" His cheeks turned red when his voice cracked.

She blinked at him, shocked. "Yes," She said slowly. "And who are you?"

"I'm Austin Moon." He said, softly.

Her eyes seemed to soften. "Moon, I see." She said in understanding. "You're him. You're the baby."

Austin's eyes widened. "So you know who I am?" He asked.

Adeline nodded. "I do. You're my daughter's baby. My how have you grown." She opened her door more. "Here, come in. We have a lot to talk about." He took her invitation and walked into her warm home. She gestured for him to sit on her living room couch. She sat next to him. " was wondering when the day would come that you would find yourself at my door." She said.

"You were expecting me?" Austin asked.

"Not exactly. That lady at the orphanage told me your adoptive parents weren't planning on telling you the truth. I guess I was wrong"

"No," Austin said shaking his head. "You were right. I found out by accident."

"Oh." She said simply.

"So, about my parents." Austin said, changing the subject.

she lit up a bit ."Oh yes, I about had a heart attack when I saw you at my door." She said.

"Why's that?" Austin asked.

"You have your mother's hair. It's so bright and your eyes: hazel but almost brown. That's also your mother's."

"I look like her?" He asked.

"You are," She said. "Though you're almost the spitting image of your father when he was your age. You're features are bit different but still eerily close."

Austin's eyes lit up. He was finally learning something about his father. "Really?"

"Definitely, but that bright hair is undoubtedly your mother's."

Austin looked around the room. "Where is she, my mother? Is she here?"

Sadness dulled her eyes. "I'm afraid not." She said.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Did she leave?" He asked.

"I-," She stuttered. "Well, I think it would be best if I just showed you." She said, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"What do you mean?" Austin asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Adeline stood up and gestured that he get up as well. "Come on."

Austin followed after her. He was confused beyond belief when they got into her car. They drove in silence for a while. Austin watched out the window as scenery flew by. They left the town and turned onto a dirt back road. His eyes widened when she pulled into a cemetery.

He stared at her in shock. "She's dead?" He asked as she turned the car off.

In response, she got out of the car and began to walk along the lines of graves. Austin jogged after her. He slowed to a walk when she stopped at a grave. When he finally caught up to her, he gazed down at the grave. His eyes widened at the name carved into the tombstone.

**Monica Harding**

**1971-1997**

**Loving daughter**

"So she _is_ dead." Austin breathed.

Adeline nodded. "That girl smoked way too much. It gave her lung cancer. We couldn't afford to pay for the treatments, so it was only a matter of time after we found out."

"How old was she? When she died?" Austin asked.

"Twenty six. She died way too young.

"How old was she when she had me?"

"Twenty four."

Austin's eyes widened in shock. "What? But the caretaker said she that she was around seventeen!" He insisted.

"Monica always had a young face. People thought she had a fake ID every time she tried to buy alcohol. She looked way too young." Adeline was quiet for a while. She stared at the stone and began to speak again. "The cancer had just started to show itself after you were born. She Knew she couldn't take care of you and, though I hate to say it, she didn't want to keep you. So she dropped you off at the orphanage. She left in a rush because the carnival was about to leave. She was a carny at that time, though she quickly quit after she found out about the cancer."

"What about my father?" Austin asked. "Who is he?"

"Your father? When he was sixteen, he was part of the circus your mother was a part of. She had been in love with him but he was in love with someone else. He ran away with the girl and they eventually got married. It broke Monica's heart but she continued on in the carny life, trying to forget about him. Then, on day, years later. They ran into each other at a bar in California. Apparently he had gotten into a fight with his wife and was blowing off steam there. He was drunk and she was drunk. Things happened and they ended up in bed together at a hotel."

"The next morning, Monica realized that he didn't remember any of that night. Devastated, she left and never spoke to him again. She got pregnant with you and never told him. She was planning to at one point, but found out a couple years after you were born, that his wife was pregnant. Never said a word and he has no clue you're his son."

"He has a family?" Austin asked. He felt devastated. That probably meant that his father would want nothing to with him, especially since he was the product of a drunken one night stand. That stung Austin.

Adeline shook her head. "Not anymore." She said.

Austin's eyes widened. "What?"

"His wife and daughter were killed. He never remarried."

"Oh." Was all Austin could muster, having no clue how to respond with the information.

"Your father," Adeline started. "You look so much like him. When I look at you, I see him. Aside from your eyes and hair color, you're the spitting image of him. He'll probably kill over if he saw you on his doorstep. You should go see him. A family member may be the very thing he needs right now. He live's in California and last I heard, he's a consultant with a police force there. His name is Patrick Jane, which means your real name is Austin Jane. If you want to find him, California's the place to go."

Austin swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded. Finding his mom had been a bit of a bust, founding out that she was dead. Now he had the information he needed to find his father, who was alive. And now that he had a name and a place, he was determined more than ever to track down and meet him for the first time.

* * *

Patrick Jane is finally mentioned. How'd you like my idea of how Austin's parents conceived him? Next chapter, off to California.


	6. Chapter 5

Diclaimer: I do not own Austin and Ally or The Mentalist.

* * *

Adopted Jane

Chapter 5

"No, Austin!" Mimi screamed with tears in her eyes.

"But, mom. I need to know. I have to meet him." Austin shot back.

"No, I'm not letting you go all the way to California by yourself. Especially for a man that doesn't even know you exist." Mimi argued.

Austin's heart clenched at her comment, by the truth in them. "Mom, please!" He begged her. "I just want to meet him. I'll text you, video chat you, every night, just please _please_ let me go."

"You just started summer, Austin. Enjoy it. Why are you so adamant about this? What if you do meet him and he wants nothing to do with you? I don't want you to get hurt." Mimi said.

"Then I'll leave him alone and never speak to him again, but he's my dad; my real dad. I just want to see him." Austin said.

Mimi's lip trembled as she looked into her son's desperate eyes. She could tell he wasn't going to give this up without a fight. He was to stubborn for his own good. Sadness tore at her insides, feeling like her own son was rejecting her.

"Have your father and I not been good to you? Are you not happy here? Is that why you're going to after this man? Because you hate it here?" She asked, scared that her questions were true.

"What? No, you guys have been more than great to me." Austin said, shocked that his mother would ask him such a thing.

"Then why are you doing this?" Mimi asked desperately.

"Mom," He breathed. "I'm not trying to replace you or dad, I just-" He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Since I found out I was adopted, I've had this hole in my chest, like it isn't complete. You and dad hid this huge secret from me. You had no right to keep it from me. You should have told me. I just want to know what kind of a person my real dad is. I already lost that chance with my birth mother so please, let me do this. I'm not going to replace you guys. I'll come home. Just let me see him, that's all I'm asking." Austin said.

Mimi shook her head. "Austin, I don't if I can handle-"

"_Please!" _Austin begged her.

She was silent for a moment; a sullen look etched in her features. "Let me talk to your father about this. I'm not going to guarantee anything, but I'll think about it."

He calmed a bit. "Thank you." He breathed.

"I'm not guaranteeing anything, but we'll see." She said.

Austin nodded. "Okay."

"I just don't want you doing anything you might regret later." Mimi said.

"I won't, Mom." Austin said. "I won't"

Mimi stood there for a moment, silent. "Fine." She quipped shortly and left the room.

~0~

He could hear them fighting in the kitchen, arguing about him. They were fighting about whether or not they going to let him to California and meet his birth father. At least, that's what they started fighting about. Now it sounded like they were fighting about the adoption in general; how they kept it a secret, how Austin found out, and how Austin was adamantly hunting down his birth parents.

Austin stayed upstairs, locked in his room, not wanting to get in the middle of it. He would let them work it put and cool down. As they fought, Austin did research about his birth father. He was shocked by what he found. All he had to do was google him and bam; loads of information on the guy. Apparently, Patrick had worked as a psychic medium up until his wife and daughter were murdered by a serial killer named Red John. Patrick openly came out as a phony and then quit his life as a psychic.

After that, he went off the radar for a while. Austin figured he was dealing with the death of his family. Then he came back, working as a consultant for a police force called the CBI, the California Bureau of Investigation. Austin had never heard of it, but hey, he lived in Florida. After that, not much was said about him. Just occasional snip its in the news about how he helped solve a murder investigation. He seemed like a good man, which made Austin happy.

Then he found a picture of him. Austin was immediately taken back when he saw it. He saw the resemblance. He saw bits of himself in the man. His blonde hair was a bit darker and his eyes were a bright blue his smile reminded Austin much of his own and their noses seemed to a similar shape. There were quite a few similarities but there were also many differences yet Austin stayed confident, believing the man was his father.

There was a sudden knocking at his door. Austin shut his laptop an sat up in his bed. "Come in." He said.

His parents walked in the room, both looked a bit worn. Mimi crossed her arms, a grimace upon her face. "Alright," She said. "You can go to California."

Austin smiled. "Really?"

"Yes, we'll let you go. We'll leave next week and go look for you father."

Austin's smile dropped. "Wait, you're coming too?" He asked.

"Of course we are, We're not letting flying to the other side of the country by yourself." Mike said.

"But I want to go alone." Austin argued.

"Austin." Mimi started.

"I'll call and text you everyday." Austin said.

"I don't that's such a good idea." Mike said.

"I'll be safe, I'll buy pepper spray and I'll wont go out after dark and I'll call you and tell you I'm safe."

"Austin, enough. You're not going alone." Mike said sternly.

"No, this is my trip. This is something that I want to do alone, just me."

"We can't let you do that." Mike shot back, raising his voice just slightly.

"Why not? I'm turning eighteen this year. I've already traveled the country before, without you there."

"You were with your friends." Mimi argued.

"Not the whole time, I wasn't." Austin shot back. "I can pay for the trip and a hotel room on my own, I have the money. I know how to so things on my own. Please, let me go on my own?" He pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Austin, but I don't feel comfortable with you going by yourself." Mimi insisted.

He glared at his parents, now incredibly upset. "I can make the trip without you. Either you give me permission to go or I'll leave without your consent. Either way, I'm going." He snapped.

"Austin, do not talk to us like that!" Mike hissed.

"I'm going!" Austin repeated. "Whether you like it or not. I have to do this and I'm not changing my mind. You can't make me." He said firmly.

Both his parents silently stood there, watching him with angry faces. "One week." Mike said. "We'll let you go for one week, then you come back home."

"I don't know if that's enough time." Austin said.

"Take it or leave it." Mike said shortly.

Austin bit his lip in guilt at the look on his parents' faces. He had angered them again., but this was something he wanted to do alone. By the look of his father's face, he could tell he wasn't going to give Austin anymore time.

"I'll take it." He breathed.

"Call everyday, check in with us constantly and you come back after that week is up, do you understand?" Mimi said angrily.

"I understand." Austin said.

"Okay then."

Austin expected them to say more but instead, they just turned around and left without another word. The second they were gone Austin jumped in glee, punching the air. He danced around, feeling happier than he had in a long time. He got to go to California, by himself. He was going to meet his dad, at least he hoped so. He wanted to leave right now and go find him today, but first, he needed to tell his friends and get ready for the trip ahead.

~0~

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Austin? Going by yourself?" Ally asked, concerned for his well-being.

"Yeah, You sure you don't want us to go with you?" Trish asked.

"I'm sure." Austin said. "This is something I want to do on my own. I want to meet him by myself."

"But he's all the way on the other side of the country!" Ally argued.

"I know," Austin said. "But I did the research and I know where I'm going."

"Yeah? Where?" Trish questioned.

"Sacramento."

"So you're just going to leave like that? You're just going to drop everything here and chase after a man that doesn't even know you exist? What if he wants nothing to do with you?" Ally ranted.

"I have to try." Austin said.

"Hey, while you're there, can you buy me a T-shirt?" Dez asked.

Austin grinned at him "Sure thing, buddy." He grabbed his stuff and left Sonic Boom.

* * *

Three days later, Austin boarded the plane to California, ready to track down his father. His friends and family saw him off at the airport and wished him luck. He felt incredibly guilty for putting all them through this, but he had to do it. He knew that he may meet the man and be disappointed, but that was all he wanted. Was to meet him. After that, if the man wanted him, Austin would head back home and never speak to him again. That's what he kept telling himself in hie head. He actually had no clue how well this was going to go but good or bad, he was doing it anyway.

The flight seemed to last forever. He was antsy the whole time, filled with nervousness. He had a feeling that he probably bothered the people around him but really didn't care all that much. He had other things on his mind. He had to get his luggage once he landed, then he needed to find a hotel close to where he thought his father worked. He had to check in and then figure out where his father lived. Thankfully, he had found the address of the CBI headquarters online, so he had a pretty good idea where to look. He just hoped he was right.

Austin was scared, obviously, and part of him wanted to high tail it back home. That part was massively small. Microscopic even, but it was still present and it was making him doubt himself. Austin told himself to shake off the feeling and get over it. Whatever happened, happened. He told himself to prepare for the worst. Even so, he still felt incredibly nervous.

He swallowed his nervousness as the plane finally prepared for landing. He wanted to be the first person off, but there were too many people to get past. Security was terrible and all he wanted was to run out of the airport. He eventually found himself in front of the baggage claim. He waited for what felt like a million years for his bag to appear.

He eventually found his luggage. He grabbed it and hurried over to the desk, asking for a list of hotels near his father's work. Once he got that, he called a cab. The taxi seemed to take its sweet getting to the airport, but this was California and he was being impatient, which wasn't helping in the slightest. Once the driver did arrive, he told the driver to take him to the hotel that was the cleanest and closest to the CBI headquarters. By time he got to the hotel and went through the whole process of paying the driver and checking in, it was very late. The moon was already high in the sky. Austin, exhausted, decided to call it a night and start his search first thing in the morning. He changed into his pajamas and turned off all the lights. He threw himself onto the bed. He was out cold the second his head hit the pillow.

~0~

The next morning, Austin took a shower and ate breakfast. After that, he left the hotel and went on a search for the CBI headquarters. According to the map he printed off, it was only a few blocks from the hotel. He walked for a long time, trying to find the building. He checked the map constantly, yet found that he must have taken a wrong turn. Even with the help of a map, he had somehow gotten lost.

He groaned in frustration. Austin gave up on the map and shoved it in his pants pocket. He walked aimlessly for half an hour in the summer heat. He was getting angry now. He just wanted to find the stupid building and do- well he wasn't sure what he was going to do once he found it, but he just wanted to find it.

Suddenly he saw a strange vintage car pull onto the road he was walking next to. It a weird looking car but actually quite pretty. He watched it drive past him with fascination. He looked at the driver, wondering if was an old guy who spent all of his retirement money on a new car. But it wasn't an old guy. He gasped he saw who it was. It was Patrick. He nearly fainted when he saw the man in person.

The car turned. In effort to not lose him, Austin jogged on the sidewalk and turned onto the same street. He continued following it for a few blocks, nearly losing it a few times. The car turned onto one more road. It then turned to a large building. One that Austin recognized immediately. It was the CBI headquarters.

Austin grinned at the sight of the building, happy to have finally found it. He frown, though when he saw that the entire building was fenced off with heavy security. He couldn't get in.

"Dammit." He grumbled.

* * *

Chapter 5 everybody. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Poor Austin was so close to getting Patrick's attention. Next chapter, Austin finally meets his father.


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